Peter Bentley Cup Final – Match Report

Steyning Town completed a sensational league and cup double on bank holiday Monday morning with a 4-1 win over Little Common FC at Peacehaven Football Club.

In front of a healthy crowd, the score line doesn’t tell the full story as Town put in a hangover of a performance during the first half, going in one goal down, and whatever was in the half time tea certainly did the trick as they came out fully firing in the second half scoring four unanswered goals.

Already without the influential Finn Daniels-Yeomans and Joe Benn, the day got off to a very unfortunate start when captain Dion Jarvis declared himself not fit to play due to a sickness bug picked up that morning having been due to start.

A last-minute change to the starting lineup is never ideal and it looked like The Barrowmen never got to grips with this during the opening 45 minutes. Their opponents playing with a low block and five men at the back were happy to sit in absorb possession and hit Town on the break when they could.  Steyning found this approach very hard to breakdown and were getting increasingly frustrated as the half wore on as the Common rearguard soaked up the pressure with relative ease. Crutwell in the Common goal was relatively untroubled. Little Common made the most of this growing unease and impatience as they broke up pitch and scored a goal; a low drive that deflected in past Bromage by Sam Ellis from the edge of the area on the half hour mark.

Common certainly had their tails up at this point, maybe sensing a second goal could make a huge difference, and were able to go into the break feeling confident, whilst Town were pleased to get in and regroup and no doubt calm things down and correct a few things that clearly were not working.

The second half was a whole different ball game. Town came out absolutely pumping and had already gone close a couple of times, most notably from a rising drive from Callum Dowdell, before Alex Plummer brought them level just before the hour mark within beautifully controlled curled right footed shot from the edge end of the area in to the bottom corner after being teed up by Stan Bridgman. Incredibly that was Plummer’s first goal of the season. What timing! Game on.

And in the blink of the eye, it was two for Town, great work down the right by the hard-working Honore saw a low cross coming to the far post where Bridgeman and Hoarty fought to get there first with the goal ultimately being awarded to Bridgeman, his 40th goal of the season.

Town were now in totally ascendancy and dominating possession, with Worrall, Plummer and Honore really getting on top in midfield, breaking the lines and stretching their opponents at every opportunity. The Barrowmen were now playing the relentless, rhythmic tempo, passing game that became their trademark this season. Wave after wave of attacks. Committing players forward. Runners everywhere. It seemed inevitable a third goal would come, although against the backdrop that Common still posed the occasional threat, and Bromage had to be called in to action to tip a rasping shot over the bar.

Brewer and Heath were introduced to the action to create more pace and mobility upfront against tiring limbs, and immediately made an impact. Brewer was denied once by a good save by Crutwell. But you can’t keep a good striker down and within minutes he scored the third goal that no doubt wrapped up the match racing onto a through ball and deftly lobbing the keeper. Game over.

There was still time for the lively Hoarty to cap it off for Town with the fourth goal as he finished well cutting inside in the box and drilling low into the far right hand corner. The icing on the cake.

The final whistle came in Steyning had sealed the double. Step four football in the Isthmian league awaits and this time the club feels it’s more ready for the challenges ahead. With a large amount of money spent on infrastructure over the past 18 months and a clearer idea of what is required on the pitch.

As for now the club bask in the glory of what’s probably been the most enjoyable season for many years. Harmony off the pitch and harmony on the pitch. Goals galore and attacking brand of football and a real top quality, yet humble, set of players who have engaged and connected with the fan base and the club.

Big challenges to come next season, but for now it’s time to rest up and over the coming weeks plans will be laid.

A word for our opponents. Excellent on the day and always tough to play against. Full congratulations to striker Lewis Hole on his retirement after an incredible non league career, and huge respect to Russell Eldridge on his 650^th game as player / manager. An incredible achievement. Two great sets of fans today, with both sets of ‘ultras’ bringing the noise and creating a great atmosphere.

Town: M Bromage, Blencowe, T Bromage, Allen, Rance, Plummer, Worrall, Honore, Hoarty, Bridgman, Dowdell Subs used: Brewer, Docherty, Oladokun, Heath Not used Jarvis